1. The patient has severe senile degenerative aortic valve stenosis determined by resting or dobutamine stress echocardiogram and Doppler, or simultaneous pressure recordings at cardiac catheterization defined as: mean gradient >40 mmHg or peak jet velocity >4.0 m/s and an aortic valve area ≤0.8 cm2 or aortic valve area index ≤0.5 cm2/m2.